Dop-casting apparatus



July 1,1930. E. LOESSER ET AL DQP GAS TING APPARATUS Filed April 23, 1929 S-vwentow ErnesZ-Laesstlr may a 5.

a Ernesl'w esnr Patentecl July 1, 1930.

- UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE ERNEST LOESSER AND ERNEST w. LoEssEE, or Manna, NEW 32031:, AssIe o s, BY

MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, I c.

Application filed April 23,

This invention relates to a dop casting apparatus and it comprehends means for positioning a precious stone, preferably a diamond, above a conical cavity located in a die and means controlled by the operator for lowering the stone into the bottom of the cavity before the metal is poured therein.

An object of the invention is to provide centering devices for the stone before it is 1.0 lowered into the cavity of the die and pairs of fingers each pair being actuated in unison in a'rectilinearpath to grasp the girdle of the stone after it descends into the bottom of the cavity thereby holding it in perfect alignment with the axis of the dop.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cam lever connected to each of the fingers which when moved out of action, after the dop is cast, with the stone partly imbedded in its lower end, transmits rectilinear movement to the finger thereby releasing its grip on the stone.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the upper centering member and the lower support for the stone are operated simultaneously to lower the stone and means for-moving the upper centering member upwards to swing it out of the way or remove it so as not to obstruct 30 the mouth of the die when pouring the metal.

The novel features of the invention are more fully described in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation partly in section of an apparatus embodying this invention. I

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the dop.

Fig. 5 is a detail View showing the cam lever swung upward.

In the drawing the numeral 5 designates a cylindrical column having a chamber 6 provided with an opening 7 located at the rear side of the column. Atthe upper end of the column is fastened by means of screws 8, 50 a die 9 having a cavity 10 located in its cen- To NEW DIAMOND ro I'sHrNe TOOL CQMIEANY 0F A ERroA,

DOE-CASTING arrnnnrus 192 9. Serial N5. 357,427.

tral portion. The cavity is conical and it has .a vertical face 11 merging into the top while of a bearing 16 extending from the side of the.

column.

(The upper part of the shaft carries a bracket arm l71which when in use is nor.

mally secured to the. shaft by means of a set screw 18 threaded in the bearing of the bracket and impinging on the shaft. At the forward end of the bracket is suspendeda rod 19 having a lower conical member 20 and an upper ball member 21 coacting with a socket in 'a. member 22 secured to the lower end of the bracket. The bracket is prevented-from turningon the shaft when in action by a key 23 but when moved upward. along the-shaft it can be swung about the shaft.

A plurality of fingers 24 are a-rranged'in radial formation at the upper end of the column and coact with the cavity to grasp a stone 25 when inaction. The. fingers slide inradial slots formed in the die and they extend outside of the column. Each finger is connected to a lever 26. having a cam 0r eccentric 27 normally in contact with the side of the column. 1 The cam lever and the finger is pivotedto a support 28 anda spring 29 has a'tendency to force the high part or face ofthe camagainst the side of the column. As indicated in the drawing one spring is hooked to two supports 28 so as to give equal pull to both thereby giving each finger the same tension on the stone.

When it is .desiredto cast a dop. 30Aas shown in Fig. 4 the diamond is positioned between the upper end of the plunger and the conical member 20 situated at the lower end of the universally movableir-od as indicated in Fig. 1. The shaft 15 is then moveddownward thus lowering the plunger and the bracket arm so as toposition the stone in the lower part ofthecavity asiindicated in Fig. 3. The fingers arethen operated by swinging two opposite cam levers upward thus moving the cam down as indicated in Fig. 5 and bringing its upper or low face in contact with the side of the column. The contraction of the spring pulls the lever, its support and the finger toward the stone thereby gripping it. Two of the levers are simultaneously actuated to move two oppositely arrangedfingers toward the stone in order to prevent displacement of the same. When the stone is securely held by the fingers the bracket arm is moved upward along the shaft out of engagement with the key until the conical member is above the die, then by turning the bracket about the shaft the rod is moved out of the way of the mouth of the die so as not to'interfere with pouring the metal into the cavity.

We claim:

1-. In a dop casting machine the combination with a die having a cavity, of a plunger coacting with the diefor supporting a stone, means controlled by the operator for simultaneously moving the plunger and centering device to lower the stone into the cavity, means independent of the plunger for moving the centering device upwardto clear the cavity, a plurality of fingers made to grasp the stone after it descends into the cavity, and a spring controlled cam lever connected to each finger. V

'2. In a dop casting machine the combination with a column having a die with a truncated conical cavity, of a plunger movableu and down in the column to cooperate witli the cavity, a shaft with a yoke member secured to the lower end of the plunger, a bracket arm movably' fixed to the shaft above the die, a universally movable rod depending from the arm above the upper end of the plunger, a plurality of fingers arranged to coact with the lower part of the cavity, and a cam lever relative to each finger for actuating said finger in a rectilinear path outward or away from the axis of the cavity. 7

3. In a dop casting machine the combination with a column having a die with a truncated conical cavity, of a plunger'movable up and down in the column to cooperate with the cavity, a shaft with a yoke member secured to the lower end of the plunger, a bracket arm movably fixed to the shaft above the die, a universally movable rod depending from the arm above the upper end of the plunger, a plurality of fingers arranged to coact with the lower part of the cavity, a cam lever relative to each finger for actuat ing said finger in a rectilinear path outward or away from the axis of the cavity,

and a spring coacting with two oppositely arranged cam levers. Y

In testimony whereof we set our hands.

' ERNEST LOESSER.

ERNEST W. LOESSER.

have hereunto 

